


Follow Your Heart

by MurderouslyAdorkable



Series: Swan Queen Week Winter 2017: Alternate Universes Cubed [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-31
Updated: 2017-01-31
Packaged: 2018-09-21 03:14:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9529316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MurderouslyAdorkable/pseuds/MurderouslyAdorkable
Summary: Regina was once all work and no play, but her niece Robyn is helping her find the fun in life again, and perhaps she can find her aunt a little love to. Enter Dr. Emma Swan, Robyn's family doctor.





	

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** I do not own any of these characters, or whatever the hell else. They belong to Disney, ABC etc, etc, I claim no rights to copyrighted material, and this story is purely for entertainment purposes.

“Aunt ‘Gina?” the little ginger haired girl piped up from the backseat, kicking her feet absentmindedly as she looked at her aunt in the rearview mirror.

“Yes, my sweet pea?” the girl’s aunt replied. She was dark haired woman with a light olive skin tone and dark chocolate color eyes. She smiled at the little girl that she was her whole world. And until she returned her little sweet pea to her mother, the girl was.

“Why do you always do that?” the little girl asked.

“Do what?”

“Put on the ‘fume. Mummy says it’s only for special times,” the girl explained. “And we’re just going to the doctors.”

The little girl heard a woman bark laughter through the speaker of her aunt’s phone. And she knew immediately that she was talking with her mom.

“Yes, Aunt Regina,” her mother said. “Robyn has a point. Why are you putting on perfume, Sis?”

“Zelena…” Regina warned.

“Oh!” Little Robyn piped up. “Is it cos you like Dr. Emma? Mummy says…”

“That’s enough, dear,” her mother said from the phone. “Your aunt Regina doesn’t want to know what mummy says.”

“No, please, Sweet Pea,” Regina insisted. “What does your mommy say?”

“She says that you like-like Dr. Emma. And that if you don’t make a move, she might literally murder you.” The redheaded toddler paused. “What’s ‘making a move’ mean, Aunt ‘Gina?”

“Regina, don’t you dare answer that-”

But she had hung up the phone before Zelena could finish and glanced at her niece with a smile. “I think that’s a Daddy question don’t you?”

Robyn grinned. “Yes! Daddy will know. He knows everything… Almost everything… Daddy tries his best.”

Regina chuckled. “That’s right. Now let’s go see your doctor.”

“Aunt ‘Gina?”

“Yes, Sweet Pea?”

“Do you like-like Dr. Emma like Mummy says?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Cos I want you to be happy, Aunt ‘Gina. Like in the stories. A happy ending. Like Mummy and Daddy have.”

Regina smiled down at her niece as they got out of the car and started off toward the doctors. But the toddler’s words gnawed at her. It shouldn’t have but that was the reality. She was 36 and not getting any younger; a fact her mother constantly brought up. And now it seemed her finding a partner was now a concern of little Robyn’s as well.

“What about your happy ending?” she asked.

The tiny ginger made a face. “Blech. No. Daddy says no happy endings until I’m forty.”

* * *

“If it isn’t my favorite ginger patient,” Dr. Emma Swan greeted as she entered the exam room.

She had a whimsical flare to her, this doctor. Her scrubs were blue with little yellow rubber ducks all over it. She wore a lap coat of many pockets that Regina suspected were stuffed toys and candy. And Emma’s shoes, she noticed lit up with each step.

That’s why Regina was so intrigued by her. Emma didn’t seem to care what anyone care what people might think. She was carefree and well, in a word cute. Regina wasn’t cute. She was incapable of it. But Emma pulled it off. She was bubbly and blonde, nice, so open and friendly. Her blue green eyes shines when she smiled. Everything about seemed genuine.

Robyn clapped excitedly. “Dr. Emma!”

“Hey Robbie, how are you?” the doctor asked.

“Good. I’m good. Aunt ‘Gina did you hear that? Dr. Emma called me Robbie, just like Uncle Will calls daddy.”

Regina nodded. “I did, sweet pea.”

“She really loves her dad,” Emma commented.

And at that Regina smiled. “Yes. She has her mother’s coloring but she’s very much her father’s daughter.”

“I’m gonna be just like Daddy when I get bigger… Maybe like five… or seven. Then I can be just like Daddy,” Robyn added.

“Oh, yeah?” Emma asked. “Well, just get you all check out first, okay?”

Robyn nodded. “Ok.”

The blonde doctor grinned and looked over Robyn’s chart. She had a bad ear infection a week ago and Zelena wanted to make sure her baby was alright. But with a full workload, neither she nor Robin scarcely had the time to take her. So it had fallen to Regina. Not that she minded. A chance to spend time with a witty, intelligent, and beautiful doctor wasn’t something one passed up.

“Ok,” Emma began as she approached Robyn on the exam table. “I’m gonna use my special ear thingy to look inside, Robbie. Is that ok with you?”

The little girl nodded. “I trust you Dr. Emma. You can always look in my ear. You never make it hurt.”

“Well, that’s because I took special classes,” Emma replied. “You are looking at the leading special ear thingy expert.”

Robyn giggled. “You’re funny, Dr. Emma.”

“Maybe funny looking,” the Doctor said as she began her examination.

“No, you’re pretty looking,” the toddler insisted. “Aunt ‘Gina, even says. And Mummy says my Aunt ‘Gina is pickier than me.”

Heat crept up Regina’s face. She was mortified. Emma was no doubt married (though she had never seen a wedding band on her finger). So perhaps not married. But Regina had her speak of a child. A son. So there had to have had been a partner at some point. Besides, Regina didn’t even know where Emma’s preferences laid. For all she knew Emma was straight, and in a happy relationship with someone devastatingly handsome man with whom she raised their child together with. However, doubt set in when Emma looked up and smirked, regarding Regina as if she was the first time they had met.

“Really?” she asked Robyn. “Your aunt says she thinks I’m pretty, huh?”

“Yeah, I listen to the grown ups when they talk,” the toddler confessed. “They think I’m sleeping but it’s only for pretend. I’m the best at pretend.”

“I bet,” Emma replied. “‘Cause your Aunt ‘Gina seems like a smart lady and so you’d have to be if you wanted to pull one over on her.”

“Yup,” Robyn agreed, looking at Regina who was still silently wishing the world would swallow her up. She saw the little girl’s face light up, like she had just come up with the most genius idea in the history of genius ideas. “You should be Aunt ‘Gina’s boyfriend.” Robyn scrunched up her face. “It’s ok that you’re a girl, Dr. Emma. Mummy says girls can be boyfriends too.”

Emma met Regina’s gaze, sea green eyes sparkling softly as she smiled warmly. “Your mom is a smart lady. Just like your Aunt ‘Gina.”

That put Regina at ease just a bit. Of course she thought that Emma was only being nice. But at least she didn’t appear disgusted by it. Flattered, maybe. But not repulsed.

“Thank you, Dr. Swan,” Regina said.

“Emma,” the doctor corrected. “Only my dad calls me Dr. Swan. And that’s only when he’s trying to brag.” She glanced at Robyn and grinned. “I think you’re going to be okay, Robbie. I mean your brain is a little big for your size, but as a doctor I can tell you that it just means you’re gonna be real smart, just like your Aunt ‘Gina here.”

“Really?” Robyn asked. “Aunt ‘Gina did you hear that? I’m gonna be smart just like you and mummy.”

“What about your daddy, Sweet Pea?” Regina asked.

“Daddy’s smart…” the toddler said, politely. “But he’s a different kind of smart than you and Mummy.” The adults laughed and despite her confusion, Robyn still had her priorities in order. “Was I good! Do I get a lolly?”

“Yes, Sweet Pea, I think you do,” Regina agreed before turning to the doctor, extending her hand. “Thank you, Dr. Sw- Thank you, Emma.”

“It was not problem,” she replied as they shook hands. “It’s literally what they pay me to do.”

“But you do a wonderful job.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Are you guys going to kiss?” The question was spoke so abruptly and loudly that both sprang apart quickly. Regina looked at her niece who was staring innocently back at her.

“Why did you say that, Sweet Pea?” Regina asked.

“Cos on the telly when people look at each other like you and Dr. Emma were looking they kiss right after that,” Robyn explained.

Regina didn’t know what to say, other than that the little girl was too observed for her own good. Luckily for her, Emma spoke first.

“Robbie has a point, Gina.”

Her brow creased as looked to Emma, “Pardon?”

The Doctor gave a mock sigh of great exasperation. “Wake up and smell the seduction, Gina. I flirt with you every time you come here. Which isn’t often, and that is good.  But I sort of, almost, in a very terrible way that makes me think I am violating the oath I took as a doctor, wish that it was more often. Believe it or not the ear infection did me a solid. I got to see more of you.”

“I helped?” Robyn asked.

Emma nodded, “You sure did. High five!” They slapped hands and Regina still didn’t know what to say. And the doctor picked up on that, quickly. “Ok, so I can see you are still processing. Either to find a way to say yes or to let me down gently. Before you say anything, I want you to know that I prepared to look as adorable as possible until you are able to make a decision.”

“I’ll help again!” Robyn said.

Regina rolled her eyes but she still managed to smile. “How thoughtful of you both.”

“We’re thoughtful people, Gina.”

“Actually I prefer Regina. Only Robyn is allowed to call me Gina.”

Emma scrambled to apologize. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize…”

“It’s nothing, Emma. It’s something that I expect someone who I am taking out on a date to know.”

“Oh?” Emma smirked. “What if I want to take you out?”

“Then I suppose you’ll have to ask, Dr. Swan.”

“Emma. It’s something I something that I expect someone who I am taking out on a date to know.”

Regina chuckled. “Emma…”

“Yes?”

“Can I take you out for a cup of coffee sometime?”

Emma frowned. “I thought I was supposed to ask you out.”

“You were taking too long,” Regina replied.

“Yeah, Dr. Emma,” Robyn agreed. “Forever taking. Jeez.”

The doctor chuckled. “From the mouth of babes… I guess that means, I should say yes.”

“Yes,” Regina replied.

“Then yes, I would love to… Regina…”

Robyn clapped. “Yay. I can’t wait to tell Mummy all about this. Daddy is gonna owe her so much money. Daddy said you were going to ask, Aunt ‘Gina. But you did. And now Daddy has to give Mummy money.”

Regina took a deep breath and then shook her head. She looked at Emma who was still smiling like she was on Cloud 9. And that in turn made Regina grin. She decided then that it didn’t matter what Robyn said to Zelena or how much her older sister made fun of her for it.

She was still going on a date with a woman she very much wanted to get to know better,

“Aunt Gina?”

“Yes, Sweet Pea?”

“Since I was really good, can I have ice cream?”

“Yes, Sweet Pea.”

“Perfect!” Emma exclaimed. “I was going on my lunch after the appointment. There’s a small ice cream shop. Lemme take you and Robbie. Please?”

Regina smirked as she rolled her eyes. “Are you preparing to be really adorable?”

“I was thinking about it.”

“Then yes, let’s get some ice cream.”

**Author's Note:**

>  **Notes if I continue this:** I’m thinking that it’s going to be flangsty. See, in my head, though its not revealed here, Regina is an ex cardio surgeon, which an accident caused her to lose her ability to perform her job. So that will be a factor.
> 
> And as always you can find me on tumblr as MurderouslyAdorkable :D Thanks for Reading.


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